Ho there, Live Journal campers! As I’ve mentioned, Grace is studying in Barcelona this summer–working hard to hone those Spanish skills and blah-de-blah-blah. So, what’s it like to be 21, beautiful, single, and alone in a foreign land? I’ll copy a portion of an e-mail she sent today to give you a little glimpse:
well, let’s see… my adventures of the day… i spent a couple hours at the beach, and i got asked out by three french guys (who were all together), one guy from barcelona and one guy from columbia… who actually followed me off of the beach to ask me if i wanted to meet him somewhere later. not bad for a couple hours time, huh!! hahaha… usually i don’t have that much luck in one day… hmmm. i think it’s this tan i’m getting. wow… i am really laughing at myself right now because i am not fit for this life. i told the guy from barcelona that i already had a spanish boyfriend, i told the french guys that i was too shy to talk, and i told the columbian guy also that i have a boyfriend… do you think it’s wrong to lie in such situations? i certainly had no qualms about it.
well, i thought you would appreciate these stories… but don’t get any ideas that anything would ever come of any of these encounters… i am still as afraid of men as ever and prefer to sit at home and read dostoyevsky than go out at night.
just imagine this scene: we are at the dinner table and the other girls are talking about wanting to hook up with some guys from school and go out somewhere. i say “no voy” (i’m not going). “¿por que no?” (why not, everyone asks) “porque tengo miedo de los hombres” (because i’m afraid of men) laughter…. “voy a ser monja.” (i’m going to be a nun) more laughter… my host dad says “te conozco. no vas a ser monja.” (i know you. you’re not going to be nun.)
it’s not fair… everywhere i go people are telling me that my dreams are impossible! 🙂
ok… hasta la proxima vez…
amor,
grace
Bless her little heart. It’s a hard life, but I suppose someone’s gotta do it. All I’m saying is thank God for the irresistible attraction of Dostoyevsky. Anyway, I thought you folks might enjoy that. Good day to you all.
EZ
the girl from Impanema
I always thought the words to the song were : “Tall and ten and young and lovely…” of course I was about ten when I learned it so I didn’t think anything of it- a girl, lovely and ten, and a boy, longing for her, probably twelve-ish or something 🙂
There are alot of those kinds of songs really out there by the way, so I could have been right. I could probably rattle off a half dozen, but then you would be worried about me I am sure 🙂
Tell Grace at least she isn’t sporting a round tummy and men getting swivel head over it. I get eyed all the time by Mexican men here (what is with that, anyway!?) It gives me the creeps. I suppose it is cultural, and I should be flattered to be viewed as the “fertile young Earth mother” or something. Instead I just feel like that fat character from the Austin Powers movies.
the girl from Impanema
I always thought the words to the song were : “Tall and ten and young and lovely…” of course I was about ten when I learned it so I didn’t think anything of it- a girl, lovely and ten, and a boy, longing for her, probably twelve-ish or something 🙂
There are alot of those kinds of songs really out there by the way, so I could have been right. I could probably rattle off a half dozen, but then you would be worried about me I am sure 🙂
Tell Grace at least she isn’t sporting a round tummy and men getting swivel head over it. I get eyed all the time by Mexican men here (what is with that, anyway!?) It gives me the creeps. I suppose it is cultural, and I should be flattered to be viewed as the “fertile young Earth mother” or something. Instead I just feel like that fat character from the Austin Powers movies.
Re: the girl from Impanema
You are still my favorite song-lyric-quoting person. Of course I use “quoting” in the loosest sense.
How are things in fertile young Earth mother land?
♥ EZ
Re: the girl from Impanema
You are still my favorite song-lyric-quoting person. Of course I use “quoting” in the loosest sense.
How are things in fertile young Earth mother land?
♥ EZ
Re: the girl from Impanema
I bet you don’t believe me about the famous pedophile songs, huh?
Well, how about that one…”She’s just eighteen years old, leave her alone they say…..”
or “Hey nineteen” by Steely Dan
Father Figure by George Michael
“Chantilly Lace” by that fifties guy
“I’m on fire” by Bruce Springsteen (“Hey little girl is your daddy home, did he go and leave you all alone…I’ve got a bad desire…)
And there’s more. “Tall and ten and young and lovely” isn’t that bad compared to Ole’ Bruceypoo’s ditty. Besides, Joao Gilberto isn’t the easiest singer to understand.
Things here in Earth Mother land are….rotund. But healthy.
Re: the girl from Impanema
I bet you don’t believe me about the famous pedophile songs, huh?
Well, how about that one…”She’s just eighteen years old, leave her alone they say…..”
or “Hey nineteen” by Steely Dan
Father Figure by George Michael
“Chantilly Lace” by that fifties guy
“I’m on fire” by Bruce Springsteen (“Hey little girl is your daddy home, did he go and leave you all alone…I’ve got a bad desire…)
And there’s more. “Tall and ten and young and lovely” isn’t that bad compared to Ole’ Bruceypoo’s ditty. Besides, Joao Gilberto isn’t the easiest singer to understand.
Things here in Earth Mother land are….rotund. But healthy.
I don’t know Grace but yet I just know that I love her to absolute pieces.
I’ve missed ya!
xoxo
I don’t know Grace but yet I just know that I love her to absolute pieces.
I’ve missed ya!
xoxo
Go Grace
I don’t know Grace either but she sounds pretty cool. I wonder who her Mum is. I went to Barcelona once it was Sunday and nobody was around, except for the statue of Christopher Columbus who looks as if he is pointing toward the sea and telling the travellers to go away. Oh yes and the cars that nearly cleaned me up because they were all driving on the wrong side of the road. Well if you were from Oz it was the wrong side anyway.
I’d love to write more witty words but its midnight and I’m so very tired.
But I will be back
Go Grace
I don’t know Grace either but she sounds pretty cool. I wonder who her Mum is. I went to Barcelona once it was Sunday and nobody was around, except for the statue of Christopher Columbus who looks as if he is pointing toward the sea and telling the travellers to go away. Oh yes and the cars that nearly cleaned me up because they were all driving on the wrong side of the road. Well if you were from Oz it was the wrong side anyway.
I’d love to write more witty words but its midnight and I’m so very tired.
But I will be back
Ah, but you do know her. Beautiful souls don’t have to meet face to face. The knowing goes much deeper than that.
I’ve missed you, too. When do we do lunch? ;o)
Ah, but you do know her. Beautiful souls don’t have to meet face to face. The knowing goes much deeper than that.
I’ve missed you, too. When do we do lunch? ;o)
Re: Go Grace
except for the statue of Christopher Columbus who looks as if he is pointing toward the sea and telling the travellers to go away.
:o) That made me laugh.
Re: Go Grace
except for the statue of Christopher Columbus who looks as if he is pointing toward the sea and telling the travellers to go away.
:o) That made me laugh.
And to think
that back several years ago, I saw Grace in the halls of the high school when she was a freshman, and worried about her because she was so tiny.
I didn’t need to worry.
What fun for her!
And to think
that back several years ago, I saw Grace in the halls of the high school when she was a freshman, and worried about her because she was so tiny.
I didn’t need to worry.
What fun for her!
Haha what a cutie!
Jesse
Haha what a cutie!
Jesse
Re: And to think
She was tiny. About 4’6″ and 75 lbs. I was worried, too, because lots of girls reach their adult height in junior high. But she did most of her growing her senior year and continued after she left for college. I think it worked to her advantage in the long run. By the time men (American, French, Spanish, or Columbian!) noticed her, she had more sense than to fall for their lines. I’ve counted our blessings many times.
Yeah. I think she’s having plenty of fun. That Dostoyevsky knows how to party. ;o)
Re: And to think
She was tiny. About 4’6″ and 75 lbs. I was worried, too, because lots of girls reach their adult height in junior high. But she did most of her growing her senior year and continued after she left for college. I think it worked to her advantage in the long run. By the time men (American, French, Spanish, or Columbian!) noticed her, she had more sense than to fall for their lines. I’ve counted our blessings many times.
Yeah. I think she’s having plenty of fun. That Dostoyevsky knows how to party. ;o)
It would appear you’re not the only person who thinks so. heh. I laugh, and then I pray really hard.
It would appear you’re not the only person who thinks so. heh. I laugh, and then I pray really hard.